INTERNACIONAL
‘The pandemic’s over’: GOP, Dem senators spar on camera over costly Obamacare subsidies
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Several Democrat senators seemed ready to expand COVID-era Obamacare tax credits holding up spending legislation needed to reopen the government — but less willing to grapple with what that would mean for the country’s expenses.
«I’ll disagree with the framing of deficit increase,» Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said when asked about the program’s implications for the country’s bottom line.
Others, like Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., declined to respond.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., walks through the Senate Subway in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, January 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The country plunged into a shutdown at the beginning of the month when lawmakers failed to agree on a short-term spending extension that would have funded the government through Nov. 21. But the disagreement wasn’t about the package itself. In 2021, Congress temporarily expanded eligibility for Obamacare’s enhanced premium tax credits subsidies, meant to help Americans pay for their health insurance plans amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. That increased eligibility sunsets at the end of 2025. Democrats have made the program’s continuation a key condition in support for any spending package.
Republicans need at least seven Democrats to advance spending legislation in the Senate, where Republicans must clear the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. The GOP holds 53 seats in the chamber.
OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES AT CENTER OF DEM SHUTDOWN FIGHT ‘FUEL’ HEALTHCARE COST INFLATION, CONSERVATIVES SAY
According to the Committee of a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal policy think tank, continuing the expanded credits could cost upwards of $30 billion annually.
Where Republicans see the expiration as an opportunity to return government spending to pre-COVID levels and shrink the national deficit, Democrats have expressed alarm over recipients who could face an abrupt end to their federal assistance.
«You have literally millions of Americans who will no longer be able to afford their health insurance or will be thrown off health insurance when the tax credits that make the Affordable Care Act affordable expire at the end of this year,» Coons said, referring to the 2010 health care reforms that put Obamacare into law.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to the media next to Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., just ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
Other Democrats pointed to healthcare as the key consideration at play.
«Republicans need to restore healthcare to the American people. That’s my position,» Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said.
Findings by KFF, a healthcare policy think tank, indicate that over 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees make use of the enhanced credits.
DEMOCRATS BLAME GOP FOR OBAMACARE WOES TIED TO PANDEMIC-ERA SUBSIDIES
Democrats have voted against reopening the government 10 times since the start of the shutdown.
Lawmakers like Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, have pushed back on Democrat opposition, noting that the credits were always designed to be temporary — and that Democrats were the ones who included the sunset provision to begin with.
«This is a pre-determined crisis by the Democrats,» Curtis said. «They’re the ones who put the expiration date on these.»
That’s also the position of Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark.
«My concern is that [the credit expansion] was done during the pandemic, because of the pandemic. The pandemic is over. As a result, you’ve got people making $300,000 on a subsidy.»
«So, what we need to do is get the government open, not hold the American people hostage and start talking, because there will be some people that are hurt,» Boozman added.
MODERATE DEM UNDERCUTS JEFFRIES ON OBAMACARE COMPROMISE AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WEARS ON
Boozman isn’t the only Republican concerned about both: ballooning government costs and the Americans who would have to adjust their payments to afford healthcare without the subsidies.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has cautioned against sudden shifts to healthcare programs, said talks to advance both priorities haven’t made much progress.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, during the congressional picnic on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, June 2025. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)
«I’m trying to figure out a way that we can ensure that healthcare coverage for Americans remains, and we’re not making much headway this week,» Murkowski said.
Other Senators hinted that talks were advancing in some way but declined to describe them.
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«I’m not getting engaged right now, because I may or may not be involved in any negotiations on what the ultimate resolution of this will be. At this point, until the Democrats open the government, I’m not going to discuss details,» Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said.
Both chambers of Congress left Washington, D.C., for the weekend. The Senate will return Monday.
health care executive,politics,democrats senate
INTERNACIONAL
Cristina Kirchner manda una delegación a la cumbre progresista de Pedro Sánchez, que profundiza su pelea con Netanyahu y Trump
La nave Orión reingresa a la atmósfera a una velocidad de 40.000 km/h.
Hace un minuto, la cápsula Orión se desacopló del módulo europeo de servicio y revelando el escudo térmico. La tripulación se prepara para el reingreso atmosférico y entrar a la Tierra a 40.000 km/h.
La NASA describe el tramo final del viaje de Artemis II como el “período de apagón planificado de seis minutos”, una ventana de silencio total que comienza cuando Orión entra en contacto con las capas más densas de la atmósfera a una altitud de 121.920 metros (400.000 pies).
La cápsula se precipita a una velocidad suficiente para cruzar de Nueva York a Tokio en menos de 20 minutos. Su objetivo es amerizar frente a las costas de San Diego, California, y culminar así un viaje de 1.118.624 kilómetros (695.000 millas) por el espacio.
La cápsula Orión de la misión Artemis II descenderá este viernes 10 de abril de 2026 a las 20:07 hora del Este (19:07 de México, Nicaragua, Costa Rica y El Salvador; 20:07 de Colombia, Perú, Ecuador y Bolivia; 21:07 de Argentina, Brasil y Chile. Serán las 00.07 GMT del sábado 11 de abril y 02.07 de España),
La cápsula Orión iniciará su reingreso a la atmósfera terrestre a una altitud de 121.920 metros, preparada para soportar temperaturas de hasta 2.760 grados Celsius y velocidades que superan los 40.000 kilómetros por hora.
El astronauta Victor Glover, uno de los cuatro integrantes de Artemis II, afirmó que el regreso a la Tierra “ha estado rondando su mente desde el día en que fue seleccionado” para la expedición. El equipo enfrenta una mezcla de desafío técnico y emoción contenida en las horas previas a la maniobra más crítica: el amerizaje frente a la costa de California.
Durante la fase final del descenso, los astronautas atraviesan una combinación de tensión técnica y esfuerzo psicológico. El entrenamiento intensivo y la coordinación con el equipo de rescate resultan fundamentales para afrontar temperaturas extremas, un periodo de incomunicación y la incertidumbre de un tramo considerado el más peligroso antes de ser extraídos y sometidos a una evaluación médica tras el retorno.
Glover describe el reingreso como “montar una bola de fuego a través de la atmósfera”, una expresión que refleja la intensidad de la experiencia cuando la nave inicia su caída desde más de 120.000 metros y el escudo térmico alcanza temperaturas extremas. Para el astronauta, estos momentos previos a la secuencia de reentrada son los más esperados y exigentes para cualquier miembro de una misión de este tipo.
El centro de control de la misión supervisa constantemente muchos factores antes del amerizaje. Uno de esos factores es el clima. Pero afortunadamente las cosas se encuentran bien encaminadas para la tripulación.
“Las condiciones meteorológicas en el Pacífico son ideales para el amerizaje de hoy”, declaró Rob Navias, responsable de relaciones públicas de la NASA.
“Hablamos de vientos de apenas 10 nudos y olas de menos de 1,2 metros. No se podría pedir mejor tiempo para este regreso a casa, para el Integrity, la primera vez que una tripulación ameriza en la nave del programa Artemis.”
Última maniobra de corrección de trayectoria
Hace pocos minutos, los astronautas de Artemis II realizaron la tercera y última maniobra de corrección de trayectoria de regreso de la cápsula Orión, para situarla en el correcto ángulo de ingreso atmosférico.
Se trató de la última maniobra importante de la misión que fue lanzada hace 10 días y en la cual llegaron a orbitar la Luna. La NASA comunicó que los propulsores de Orión se activaron durante 8 segundos para cambiar la velocidad de la nave espacial.
“Es un paso vital para asegurar que la cápsula Orion llegue al corredor de entrada sobre el Océano Pacífico antes del amerizaje. Parece que vamos a realizar una buena tercera maniobra de encendido del RTC y estamos evaluando los detalles”, comunicó el control de la misión en Houston a la tripulación.
Orión está viajando actualmente a 9950 kilómetros por hora y se encuentra a una distancia de 78.535 kilómetros de la Tierra.
La tripulación se despertó con la última canción antes del amerizaje
Cada día nuevo en el espacio, la tripulación de Artemis II fue despertada para iniciar sus actividades diarias con un tema musical, elegido por la NASA desde la Tierra.
Esta situación ha dado lugar a algunos diálogos divertidos entre el centro de control de la misión en Houston y la tripulación del Orión, como cuando durante el inicio del cuarto día de la misión, el comandante Reid Wiseman no se mostró contento que la canción “Pink Pony Club” de Chappell Roan se interrumpiera antes del estribillo.
Hoy, en un día cargado de tensión por lo que implica la peligrosa maniobra de reingreso atmosférico a 40.000 km/h y el posterior amerizaje en el océano Pacífico, la tripulación fue despertada con la canción Correr al agua o “Run To The Water” del grupo Live.
La misión Artemis II de la NASA enfrenta su tramo más complejo con el retorno de la nave Orión, que debe atravesar la atmósfera a más de 40.000 km/h y soportar temperaturas cercanas a los 2.700 °C antes de amerizar cerca de San Diego.
El descenso, previsto para las 21:07 en Argentina, implica una secuencia de maniobras críticas y el despliegue de paracaídas para garantizar la seguridad de los cuatro astronautas, quienes serán rescatados por la Marina de Estados Unidos. Este operativo pone a prueba los sistemas de protección térmica y rescate, y representa un paso clave en el programa lunar de la agencia espacial.
North America
Mark Dubowitz says Trump holds ‘maximum leverage’ over Iran as ceasefire begins
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, analyzes President Trump’s firm Iran policy following a two-week ceasefire agreement. He highlights the regime’s weakened state after 15 months of Trump’s administration, making Iran’s 10-point peace plan with «ridiculous demands» unlikely to be accepted. Dubowitz discusses the choice facing Iran’s new regime.
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The lack of a two-week pause in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be a dealbreaker for Iran’s regime as the ceasefire takes effect.
While the Trump administration maintains the deal does not include the Tehran-backed terrorist movement Hezbollah, Iran is threatening to use that exclusion as a pressure point against the U.S., potentially collapsing the entire ceasefire.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that «The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both. The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.»
IRAN REVEALS 10-POINT PLAN FOR PEACE WITH THE US – HERE’S WHAT’S IN IT
Rescue workers search for victims at the site of an Israeli airstrike that hit a crowded neighborhood south of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (Hussein Malla/AP)
His comments were later echoed by Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, citing Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key intermediary in ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran over Operation Epic Fury, said the two-week ceasefire would include Lebanon.
Hezbollah reneged on a U.S. negotiated November 2024 ceasefire by entering the war against Israel on March 2025 to aid Iran. Many experts say long-term regional security depends on Lebanon’s government and army disarming the terror group.
Hezbollah al-Mahdi scouts parade with big portraits of Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Khomeini, foreground, and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, background, during an event for Jerusalem day or Al-Quds day, in the southern town of Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. The last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed in many Muslim countries as Al-Quds day, as a way of expressing support to the Palestinians and emphasizing the importance of Jerusalem to Muslims. (Hussein Malla/AP)
Edy Cohen, an Israeli security expert on Hezbollah, who was born in Lebanon, told Fox News Digital that «Hezbollah will never disarm itself. From its perspective, it protects two million Shiites. The only way to defeat Hezbollah is to first define it as a terrorist organization. Not to allow its political wing to exist and also to order the Lebanese army to gather in the areas under its control area by area.»
He added that «Dismantling Hezbollah must be carried out in stages. The Lebanese government must first take possession of the heavy weapons. Not to allow it to concentrate except in Dahiya [a Beirut suburb that is a Hezbollah and Shiite stronghold]. Leave it in one place and control all the roads leading to it. Little by little, it can be dismantled. Israel cannot and should not disarm Hezbollah. It can only assist with bombing from above.»
TRUMP’S IRAN CEASEFIRE ROCKED WITHIN HOURS AMID REPORTED MISSILE, DRONE ATTACKS
U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago club on December 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
On Wednesday, the IDF said it hit over 100 targets in 10 minutes, including, «Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, and command-and-control centers: Intelligence command centers and central headquarters used by Hezbollah terrorists for directing and planning terror attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.» Reuters, quoting the country’s health ministry, said some 91 people were killed in Beirut, with a total of at least 182 killed nationwide on Wednesday.
The IDF added, «The large-scale strike was based on precise IDF intelligence and was planned meticulously over weeks. Most of the infrastructure that was struck was located within the heart of the civilian population, as part of Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of Lebanese civilians as human shields in order to safeguard its operations. Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals as much as possible.»
Since the war started and before Wednesday’s attacks, Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 1,530 people in Lebanon, according to the Associated Press. The Long War Journal notes «that neither the Lebanese Health Ministry nor Hezbollah has provided an official count of the group’s fallen fighters.»
Hezbollah terrorists are shown in this image. A «terrorist network» funded and operated by Hezbollah and Iran has been foiled in the United Arab Emirates, according to a report. (Fadel Itani/NurPhoto)
Guila Fakhoury, whose father, Amer, was kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2019, told Fox News Digital that «Iran and the IRGC are occupying Lebanon through their proxy Hezbollah.»
Fakhoury, who was born in Lebanon, said, «The majority of Lebanese people believe the actions of Hezbollah caused Israel to occupy southern Lebanon and don’t want Iran and Hezbollah. Hezbollah is threatening the entire government.»
VANCE WARNS IRAN WILL ‘FIND OUT’ TRUMP IS ‘NOT ONE TO MESS AROUND’ IF CEASEFIRE DEAL FALLS APART
A mourner holds a poster depicting Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, right, the successor to his late father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, as supreme leader, during the funeral procession for senior Iranian military officials and civilians killed during the U.S.-Israel campaign in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)
As the president and co-founder of the Amer Foundation, an organization dedicated to help families of illegal detainees and educate on Middle East policy and geopolitics, she said is seeing some positive steps being taken including Lebanese President Joseph Aoun calling for negotiations with Israel.
She said the «only solution is to have peace with Israel. I think there a lot of Shiites who are against Hezbollah… The majority of the Lebanese people just want peace. We hope the Trump administration will push the Lebanese government and Israel’s government to start peace talks.»
Last week, Iran’s regime defied Lebanon’s expulsion order for its ambassador by saying he would stay, further increasing tensions in a country in the crosshairs of the latest fighting between the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Israel.
Lebanon had declared Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani «persona non grata» to weaken Iran’s diplomatic presence and have a chargé d’affaires at its embassy instead. But the deadline to leave the country was Sunday and an Iranian spokesperson said the ambassador’s mission in Beirut continues.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Lebanon’s government and the Embassy in Washington D.C. for a comment.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
war with iran, lebanon, israel, counter terrorism, iran
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